DOI: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20261104.13 ISSN: 2575-3363

Cultural Perceptions on the Use of Artificial Intelligence: A Study on the Integration of AI Technology in Nigerian Historical Studies

Akoti Ezra, Manji Best, Telaki Bukar, Tongshinen Paul, Patience Ladan
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Background: The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into historical research presents both opportunities and challenges for Nigerian historiography, yet cultural perceptions and academic attitudes toward its adoption remain underexplored. This study investigates scholarly perspectives on AI integration in Nigerian historical studies, examining the tension between technological innovation and traditional research practices. By exploring the socio-cultural frameworks, institutional disparities, and post-colonial dynamics that influence how local scholars perceive and adopt these technologies, this study argues that AI must not be viewed as an autonomous interpretive agent. Instead, it must remain a subordinate, complementary tool subject to rigorous human source criticism, safeguarding the rich interpretive traditions unique to African historiography. Method: Mixed-methods research design was employed, combining semi-structured interviews with established historians, a comprehensive desk review of archival and published materials, and a stratified survey of 400 respondents across two of Nigeria's major geopolitical zones the north central and south western Nigeria. Findings: Findings indicate widespread awareness of AI tools among scholars, with 78% reporting familiarity and 72% actively using AI applications in their research. However, 55% expressed reservations regarding cultural appropriateness and the potential erosion of interpretive dimensions in historical scholarship. Practical benefits identified include archival digitization, automated transcription, and spatial reconstruction, while epistemological concerns, algorithmic biases, and infrastructural limitations constrain effective deployment. Conclusion: The study concludes that to preserve the integrity of African historiographical traditions AI should serve as a complementary tool under rigorous human oversight, rather than as an autonomous interpretive agent.

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